ACADEMY OF MUSIC & SOUND LTD

💤Zombieactive

04604452 · ltd · incorporated 2002-11-29

Investment thesis

Zombie company — trading but stalled; unlikely mover.

Why interesting: Quiet, steady; could be a succession or carve-out candidate with the right conversation.

Why risky: No growth signal; thin margin for error on price.

🔒Estimated value

—

Upgrade to see

Turnover

—

year to Aug 2025

Net worth

—

book net assets

Opportunity

79/100

Strong

🔒Generate AI memo →🔒Outreach pack →🔒Corporate story →📑 Reports →Sign in to watch

What this business does

Primary activity: Other education n.e.c.

Sector: Education

Investor take

Pursue

Strong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and acceptable with review structure.

Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 67/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 4 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

1 live charge · oldest 5.2y

45/100

under pressure

Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.

· Oldest live charge is 5.2 years old — likely at or near maturity.
· Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
· Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.

Data confidence

Overall: high (81/100)

Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.

Company profile

address, 1 SIC codes, incorporation date

100

Financials

2 years of iXBRL accounts extracted (YoY deltas available) + narrative notes parsed

Lenders & charges

1 charges (1/1 with lender, 1/1 with type)

Directors & officers

12 officers (1 active, 12 linked, 6 with DOB)

Ownership & PSC

1 active PSC(s) of 6 total, 6 with control declared

Director network

8 connected companies via shared directors

Filing history

90 filings on record

Gazette notices

No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)

Opportunity Score

79/100Strong

PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional

Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.

Business quality

Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.

Acquirability

Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.

Risk profile

Few red flags.

Signal strength

100

Good data coverage for analysis.

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts

Cash

—

Net Worth

—

Current Assets

—

Current Liabilities

—

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown

Metric	2025-08-31	2024-08-31

Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.

🔒Filing-note intelligence

1 signal detected in this company's narrative notes — going-concern language, audit opinion, contingent liabilities, related-party transactions.

Available from the Pro tier upwards.

See pricing →

Recent activity

Last 30 days

filings

Last 90 days

filing

• 1 accounts

Last 180 days

filing

• 1 accounts

Counts from Companies House filing history.

Corporate timeline (44 events)Click to expand

2026-05-08
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2025-05-27
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2024-05-28
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2023-05-30
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2023-05-29
📄
change-account-reference-date-company-previous-shortened
accounts · AA01
2022-10-05
📄
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2022-09-12
➖
YEO, Catherine resigned
director
2022-05-08
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2021-12-17
📄
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2021-09-23
📄
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2021-09-21
➕
RYAN, Stephen Nicholas appointed
director
2021-09-21
➕
YEO, Catherine appointed
director
2021-09-21
📄
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2021-09-20
➖
BAXTER, Shaun David resigned
director
2021-09-18
📄
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC05
2021-07-15
➖
HARDING, Kevin Michael John resigned
secretary
2021-07-15
📄
termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM02
2021-06-08
📄
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2021-06-08
📄
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC02
2021-06-08
📄
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2021-04-23
📄
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2021-04-05
🔒
Charge registered #1
Lender: Shaun David Baxter
2021-03-31
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2020-10-07
📄
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2020-05-21
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2019-09-22
➖
HARDING, Kevin Michael John resigned
director
2019-08-28
➕
HARDING, Kevin Michael John appointed
secretary
2017-02-28
➖
BENNETT, Nicholas resigned
director
2017-02-07
➖
BISHOP, Michael John Dennington resigned
secretary
2011-06-19
➕
BISHOP, Michael John Dennington appointed
secretary
2011-06-19
➖
RICHARDS, Ann resigned
secretary
2005-11-01
➕
BAXTER, Shaun David appointed
director
2005-11-01
➕
BENNETT, Nicholas appointed
director
2004-01-31
➖
READMAN, John Bartlett resigned
secretary
2004-01-31
➕
RICHARDS, Ann appointed
secretary
2004-01-31
➖
READMAN, John Bartlett resigned
director
2002-12-04
➕
READMAN, John Bartlett appointed
secretary
2002-12-04
➖
FORM 10 SECRETARIES FD LTD resigned
corporate-nominee-secretary
2002-12-04
➕
HARDING, Kevin Michael John appointed
director
2002-12-04
➕
READMAN, John Bartlett appointed
director
2002-12-04
➖
FORM 10 DIRECTORS FD LTD resigned
corporate-nominee-director
2002-11-29
🏢
Company incorporated
As ACADEMY OF MUSIC & SOUND LTD
2002-11-29
➕
FORM 10 SECRETARIES FD LTD appointed
corporate-nominee-secretary
2002-11-29
➕
FORM 10 DIRECTORS FD LTD appointed
corporate-nominee-director

Owner dependency

83/100

Critical — business is the founder

The business appears inseparable from the founder. Acquisition without a serious earn-out or meaningful transition period would likely destroy value.

FACTORS

+Sole director: Only one active director — all governance concentrated on one person.
+Senior director age: Director aged approximately 61 — approaching natural succession window.

Succession & seller-readiness

65/100

Strong succession signal

Multiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.

SIGNALS

secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 61. Early succession window.
primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 24 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.

Red flags

clean

No red flags detected from available public data. (This is not a clean bill of health — detailed accounts review still recommended.)

Group structure

Academy Of Music & Sound (Holdings) Limited is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.

🏛️

Academy Of Music & Sound (Holdings) Limited

Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares · board control

ultimate parent

⬇

ACADEMY OF MUSIC & SOUND LTD

This company · 04604452

Parent relationships inferred from Persons with Significant Control filings. Full subsidiary tree requires reverse-lookup (coming).

Shareholders & ownership

1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%

Name	Shares	Voting rights	Nature of control	Notified
Academy Of Music & Sound (Holdings) Limited Corporate entity	75–100%	75–100%	board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control	02/03/2021

5 historic (ceased) PSCs

Mr Shaun Baxterceased 02/03/2021· 25-50% shares
Mr Kevin Hardingceased 02/03/2021· 75-100% voting
Mr Nicholas Bennettceased 28/02/2017· significant influence
Mr Kevin Michael John Hardingceased 28/02/2017· 50-75% shares
Mr Shaun David Baxterceased 28/02/2017· significant influence

From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.

🔒Co-director network graph

Radial SVG graph showing every company connected via shared directors, colour-coded by status.

Available from the Pro tier upwards.

See pricing →

Similar companies

Active · Education & training · EX postcode area

Company	Est. value	Turnover	Net worth	Staff	Age	Opp	Director
A FOR E LIMITED→ 03014719 · est 1995 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	31y	—	—
A2B SWIM SCHOOL LTD→ 15256861 · est 2023 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	2y	—	—
AB UNIVERSAL LIMITED→ 14338479 · est 2022 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	3y	—	—
ACADEMY OF MUSIC & SOUND (GATESHEAD) LTD→ 07091110 · est 2009 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	16y	—	—
ACCESS COMMUNICATION SERVICES LTD→ 12497373 · est 2020 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	6y	—	—
AFGHAN COMMUNITY DEVON CIC→ 14428194 · est 2022 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	3y	—	—
AIM EDUCATION AND MENTORING (ACHIEVEMENT IN MOTION) LTD→ 14307088 · est 2022 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	3y	—	—
ALBT LTD→ 14572771 · est 2023 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	3y	—	—
ALEX SNOW RACING LIMITED→ 14939912 · est 2023 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	2y	—	—
ALIGHT PRODUCTIONS LTD→ 16372556 · est 2025 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	1y	—	—
ALUMNIS MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST→ 11409631 · est 2018 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	7y	—	—
AMA TRAINING LTD→ 08768545 · est 2013 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	12y	—	—

Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →

🔒Tailored diligence questions

7 specific questions generated from this company's actual signals — liquidity, leverage, director age, charge count, red flags, age-of-company.

Available from the Pro tier upwards.

See pricing →

🔒Advanced scoring suite

Exit-route ranking, improvement thesis, quiet-distress detector, covenant-pressure proxy, extraction monitor, approaching triggers, ownership drift, local cluster, value trap, debt capacity, archetype classification — 48+ scoring modules.

Available from the Pro tier upwards.

See pricing →

Company details

Statusactive

Typeltd

Incorporated2002-11-29

Jurisdictionengland-wales

Primary SIC85590 — Other education n.e.c.

Registered office

Floor 1 54 High Street

Exeter

EX4 3DJ

England

Filing status

Accounts

Next due: 2027-05-30

Last made up to: 2025-08-31

Confirmation statement

Next due: 2026-08-30

Last: 2025-08-16

Officers (1 active · 11 resigned)

RYAN, Stephen Nicholas→

director · ~61y · appointed 2021-09-21

View their other companies + combined net worth →

Active

BISHOP, Michael John Dennington→

secretary · appointed 2011-06-19 · resigned 2017-02-07

Resigned

HARDING, Kevin Michael John→

secretary · appointed 2019-08-28 · resigned 2021-07-15

Resigned

READMAN, John Bartlett→

secretary · appointed 2002-12-04 · resigned 2004-01-31

Resigned

RICHARDS, Ann→

secretary · appointed 2004-01-31 · resigned 2011-06-19

Resigned

FORM 10 SECRETARIES FD LTD→

corporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 2002-11-29 · resigned 2002-12-04

Resigned

BAXTER, Shaun David→

director · ~64y · appointed 2005-11-01 · resigned 2021-09-20

Resigned

BENNETT, Nicholas→

director · ~59y · appointed 2005-11-01 · resigned 2017-02-28

Resigned

HARDING, Kevin Michael John→

director · ~64y · appointed 2002-12-04 · resigned 2019-09-22

Resigned

READMAN, John Bartlett→

director · ~73y · appointed 2002-12-04 · resigned 2004-01-31

Resigned

YEO, Catherine→

director · ~63y · appointed 2021-09-21 · resigned 2022-09-12

Resigned

FORM 10 DIRECTORS FD LTD→

corporate-nominee-director · appointed 2002-11-29 · resigned 2002-12-04

Resigned

Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.

Mortgages & charges

Total charges

Outstanding

Active lenders

Status:Lender:1 of 1 shown

			Type	Properties
	outstanding	Shaun David Baxter / Kevin Michael John Harding / Ann Richards / Melanie Baxter	A registered charge	—	05/04/2021	—

Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (90 total)

accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity

accounts · AA

2026-05-08

confirmation-statement-with-no-updates

confirmation-statement · CS01

2025-09-26

accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity

accounts · AA

2025-05-27

confirmation-statement-with-no-updates

confirmation-statement · CS01

2024-12-18

accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity

accounts · AA

2024-05-28

confirmation-statement-with-no-updates

confirmation-statement · CS01

2023-12-16

accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity

accounts · AA

2023-05-30

change-account-reference-date-company-previous-shortened

accounts · AA01

2023-05-29

confirmation-statement-with-no-updates

confirmation-statement · CS01

2022-12-17

termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date

officers · TM01

2022-10-05

accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity

accounts · AA

2022-05-08

confirmation-statement-with-updates

confirmation-statement · CS01

2021-12-17

termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date

officers · TM01

2021-12-17

appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date

officers · AP01

2021-09-23

appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date

officers · AP01

2021-09-21